


Brave Bow

by coffeeincluded



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Aftercare, Bondage, F/M, Flashbacks, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Safeword Use, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24336304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeincluded/pseuds/coffeeincluded
Summary: Sometimes, things go wrong. And it’s not because of something anyone did, but because we’re human, and humans mess up. It’s what we do afterwards that’s most important.
Relationships: Bernadetta von Varley/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63
Collections: FE3H Kink Meme, Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	Brave Bow

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is pulling double duty!
> 
> First off, this was written as a fill for the following prompt in the absolutely-bonkers-in-the-best-way Three Houses Kinkmeme.
>
>> Hubert and Bernadetta experiment with bondage, but Bernadetta panics during the process and uses their safeword
>> 
>> hubert comforting and loving up on his wife encouraged! All smut safe, sane, and consensual please!
> 
> And I’m also shooting two birds with one arrow by filling the Felannie server drabble challenge!
>
>> This week's prompt is an experimental one! Start your story with this line, or work it in somewhere along the way: 
>> 
>> “[Name] truly hadn’t meant to, this time.”
> 
> Anyway please read and enjoy, and don’t forget to mind the tags! A big thank you to Poetry for telling me about silk and giving some aftercare ideas! 

The silk was almost impossibly soft and sheer against Bernadetta’s wrists. Hubert had chosen only the finest material for her, and had it dyed a lovely soft lavender that perfectly complemented her hair. She’d needed to repress the sudden urge to rub it against her face, when Hubert had presented the material for her inspection. But now the silk ribbons were a gentle kiss against her wrists and ankles as Hubert tied her to the bed. 

Bernadetta still couldn’t quite believe that Hubert was doing this, that she had _agreed_ to this. But she and Hubert had spent weeks, months, discussing this, and now here they were, both stark naked and wanting as Hubert gently tied her to the bed. Bernadetta took a deep breath and relaxed into the sensations. The soft silk against her wrists and ankles. Hubert’s warm breath and warmer hands as he gently ran them up and down her body, pausing to linger over the dip of her waist, the swell of her breasts. Her own languid arousal. Everything felt pleasantly hazy, like the first truly warm summer day of the year, or that little wiggle-sigh she made when settling under the covers just before bed. 

That’s what this was about, after all. Hubert taking care of her, replacing the terror with love. Here she was, tied up and helpless, and Hubert loomed above her. He could do _anything_ to her, and his _anything_ was to make her feel good. 

“Hu,” Bernadetta mewled, seized with the sudden need to touch him, or be touched, a need as necessary as breathing. 

Hubert chuckled and answered with a single slow finger dragged between her legs, one cruelly teasing stroke that left her bucking her hips, a futile attempt to chase after his touch. The silk slid against her ankles with each roll of her hips. 

“Such a good girl,” Hubert whispered, one hand cupping her breast and stroking in firm circles. “Let’s make this last, shall we?”

Bernadetta _whimpered,_ one hand instinctively reaching up to brush back his hair, let her see both of those keen green eyes—

The silk slid then caught, a tight knot pressing against the sensitive inside of her wrist. 

_Hemp rope, a chafe and burn at her arms and waist._

_Struggle, chair hard and uncomfortable, Father just pulled the ropes tighter—_

_“You are far too willful, Bernadetta. This will help teach you to be a good girl, and a proper wife.”_

_Let me out let me out I’ll be quiet I’ll be good LET ME OUT—_

“Bernadetta?”

Hubert’s voice, sibilant as always, but the ropes were still tight they cut against her wrists she couldn’t move!

“Brave bow! Brave bow!”

Hubert’s hands, flying to her wrists, tugging at the bonds. Knots pulled small and tight, too tight for even his fingers to undo she was _stuck_. 

“Shit!” 

The cool edge of a knife, flat against her skin, sharp against the rope. A snap and the silk puddled onto the mattress. Another and her arms were free. 

Bernadetta flew upright, straining at the bonds against her ankles, knots tight and painful for just a moment stretching forever. Then Hubert’s knife, two more times, and she was freed. 

A panicked wail in Hubert’s arms. Nothing but her rapid breath, memories of rope, not good enough never good enough—

“In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.”

—Hubert’s voice, a shaky hiss. Hubert’s hands, running long soothing strokes down her hair. 

“You can do it, Bernadetta. Just like Ferdinand taught us. In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.

Just breathing, in time with Hubert. Yeah, even pathetic useless Bernie could do that. In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.

There was a blanket around her, and Hubert was in a fluffy robe. When did that happen? “Hubert?”

His face was twisted in pain, a foreign and awful expression for him. “Bernadetta, I am so, so sorry. I’ve never worked with silk before; I didn’t know the knots would slip that tight.” 

What was he sorry for? This was all her fault for not being able to handle a little silk! Hubert truly hadn’t meant to scare her this time. Not in a long time. “No, Hu, I-I’m Sorry. We wanted to do something nice and you went through all this trouble to get this silk and now I ruined it because I’m a big baby.”

“Bernadetta.” He’d procured a bottle of lotion, the strong stuff he used on his own magic-scarred hands. It smelled vaguely of roasted coffee and vanilla, and Hubert spoke in as soothing a tone as he was capable of as he gently worked the lotion _his lotion this is good stuff why are you using it on me?_ into her wrists and ankles where he had tied the silk. “Who rode a horse through enemy lines to rescue Lysithea after her pegasus was shot down? 

“I...I did.”

He kissed her fingers, letting each callused digit linger on his lips. “And who ran through the burning streets of Fhirdiad to rescue a family trapped in the flames? Who is the reason four people are alive today? 

“...I did.” That had been worth the terror of the flames. 

Hubert’s embrace was warm and soothing. He pressed a mug of warm chamomile tea into her hands and breathed in time with her. “And who married the scariest person in all of Fodlan? The man who bears, oh, what did you call it, the grin of death itself?” And there was that grin again, but not nearly as terrifying as it had once been. 

“I did. And Hu, you’re really not that scary once I got to know you,” she teased back with a playful smack against his arm. 

“Oh? I suppose I need to get back to the office, if my reputation is faltering. But in all seriousness, you’re my wife, and I love you. You are incredibly brave, Bernadetta, and I will say it over and over again until you never want to hear me utter those words again.”

“I don’t think that’ll happen.” 

“You are safe, Bernadetta. Your father is gone, and he will never hurt you again.”

That was true, but, “But I still couldn’t handle this, even if it was you.”

“How many years did your father tie you to that chair? Four? Five?”

“...At least six.” Around the time she started her cycles. 

“Fucking bastard,” Hubert muttered. “Bernadetta, I have absolutely no trauma associated with my acrophobia, but if you asked me to make love to you on a clifftop, my penis would likely invert into my pelvis.” And _that_ mental image sent Bernadetta giggling; the now-lukewarm tea splashed onto her hands. 

“More seriously,” Hubert continued. “I am telling you this in complete confidence, but Lady Edelgard still wakes from nightmares several times a month.”

“R-really?” But she was so brave, and she won! Her enemies were all gone!

“Truly. These things can linger, and there is no shame in that. You realized you were in a bad situation and were able to communicate it. That’s a victory.”

It didn’t feel like one, but Hubert didn’t lie, so Bernadetta tried to make herself believe it. “I...I guess. I’m sorry about the silk though. You got it special, just for me…”

“And I can get more.”

“I...it felt pretty nice. I mean, before the whole, you know.”

Hubert leaned against her, chuckled low and rough. Any other time that would have set her body ablaze with wanting, but right now Bernadetta was way too drained for anything other than cuddling. “I must say, you were quite the sight, all laid out for me like that.”

“I...kinda liked that. Really liked that, actually, a lot.” It felt like she was a present that Hubert couldn’t wait to unwrap, but in a good way. Though, now that she was on the subject of presents… “Hey, Hubert? I don’t know if you remember, but that book also talked about tying up someone with silk to show them off. Not tied to anything, I’d still be able to move, I think not being able to move was what did it, but just...having the silk on my skin, and being all laid out for you. I think I’d like to try that some time.”

And oh, she knew Hubert so well now, could feel his pulse race at the thought, just knew that the mental image she had just drawn was now emblazoned in his brain. He curled up around her, her bony creepy terrifyingly good boy. “And I think I would like that very much indeed.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. See you soon, and please stay safe!
> 
> The "Terrifyingly good boy" line came from this kinkmemelite prompt: https://fe3h-kinkmeme-light.dreamwidth.org/452.html?thread=29636#cmt29636


End file.
